The present invention relates to an image printing system which comprises an apparatus having an image data reading function and image data printing function and an information processor connected to the apparatus, and which prints read image data, and a printing method of the same.
A copy application is conventionally available which uses a scanner apparatus having an image reading function and a printer apparatus having an image data printing function, as peripheral devices of a personal computer, and which has a copy function of reading an original set in the scanner apparatus and causing the printer apparatus to print the read data.
The operation on the user interface of such a copy application is so designed that copying can be performed by simply setting the number of copies and pressing a copy button.
On the other hand, as a variation of an inkjet printer apparatus in which an ink cartridge is mounted on a carriage, an apparatus (scanner printer apparatus) capable of realizing a reading function of reading an image of an original by mounting a scanner cartridge instead of an ink cartridge has been proposed. A copy application for this apparatus also has been proposed. Note that a cartridge will also be simply referred to as a xe2x80x9cunitxe2x80x9d hereinafter.
When, however, a reading operation and a printing operation are to be successively performed by using the copy application for the scanner printer apparatus described above, a scanner cartridge must be removed and replaced with an ink cartridge after the reading operation. For this purpose, after reading is completed, a cartridge exchange message box 1001 as shown in FIG. 10 is displayed. A printing operation is started when a user clicks an OK button 1002 in this message box 1001 after exchanging the cartridges following the procedure indicated in the message box 1001.
To copy, therefore, at least the following operations by the user are necessary:
(1) Attach the scanner cartridge (if the scanner cartridge is already attached, this operation is unnecessary)
(2) Set an original
(3) Click a copy button
(4) Set a printing sheet (after reading is completed)
(5) Remove the scanner cartridge and replace it with the ink cartridge following the procedure in the cartridge exchange message box (FIG. 10)
(6) Click the OK button 1002 in the cartridge exchange message box (FIG. 10)
That is, the unit mounted on the carriage must be replaced after an image of an original is read and before the read image is printed. Therefore, the processing is temporarily stopped after the reading operation is completed. After the user exchanges the units and performs an operation indicating the completion of exchange, the processing is resumed to start the printing operation.
As described above, to make even one copy it is necessary to perform not only operation (5) of exchanging cartridges but also operation (6) of clicking the OK button 1002. This makes the operations very troublesome for the user.
The present invention has been made to solve the above problem, and has as its object to provide an image printing system and printing method of the same capable of reading an original image and printing the read image without any cumbersome operations by a user.
To achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image printing system which comprises an image forming apparatus capable of attaching a printhead for printing or a reading head for reading, and an information processor connected to the image forming apparatus, and which prints a read image, comprising detecting means for detecting the type of head attached to the image forming apparatus, and checking means for checking the type of head detected by the detecting means, wherein the information processor starts a predetermined operation after confirming that the reading head is attached, when starting image reading, and that the printhead is attached, when starting image printing, on the basis of the type of head.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing method of an image printing system which comprises an image forming apparatus capable of attaching a printhead for printing or a reading head for reading, and an information processor connected to the image forming apparatus, and which prints a read image, comprising the detecting step of detecting the type of head attached to the image forming apparatus, and the checking step of checking the type of head detected in the detecting step, wherein the information processor starts a predetermined operation after confirming that the reading head is attached, when starting image reading, and that the printhead is attached, when starting image printing, on the basis of the type of head.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.